Sunday, April 11, 2010

The Flight

DAY ONE:I'm going to try and make this one quick. The flight over here was pretty bad. First, our plane in SLC was delayed and so we ended up missing our Seattle flight to Amsterdam. So I get on the phone to Delta as Ryan plays in the stroller and explain about having a baby and so they are kind enough to set up a new flight out that leaves in 6 hours to London with British AirWays. Ryan wouldn't sleep because there was too much going on, so we just crawled around the airport. The appointed time comes and I move over to the area to board the plane. The ticket lady explains that there is something wrong with my ticket and they'll have to talk to Delta and they have me sit aside with Ryan. Everyone else boards and then they tell me, "Delta didn't give you a ticket for your son so we can't let you on this flight."

I go talk to the people at the ticket counter to try and figure out what the heck I am going to do now. They say, "We can fly you to Detroit at 11:00 and then you'll have a 3 hour layover and then you'll fly to Paris." I tell them to just get me a hotel because my baby needs to sleep and so do I. They won't pay for a hotel because somehow this was all caused by WEATHER! (Don't worry it's perfectly sunny outside, no weather problems all day long!)They assure me that tomorrow I can get on the flight with Ryan to Amsterdam without reissuing him a ticket. By this point Ryan is crying pretty hard so I pay for the hotel and get Ryan to sleep by 10:00.

DAY TWO: (Still in Seattle, even though I should have been to Switzerland at 4:00 in the morning.)I get Ryan and I breakfast at a Denny's close by and realize I didn't pack enough diapers for the rest of the trip we have to make. I ask where the nearest place is to get diapers because I have no car seat. It's a 10 minutes drive. I run with Ryan to the grocery store and then run back because he is crying because he's so tiered. We now have enough diapers to last plus a few bananas and apples.

I arrive at the airport two hours early like I am told. Huge line. 45 minutes later I am told that my baggage is still at the airport (That would've been nice to know last night so I could have had something clean to wear!) I have to go get my baggage downstairs. I go get my bag 50 lb bag and 20 lb. bag along with Ryan and our two carry-ons. I'm now rushing as I don't have much time....and TOO LATE! They have problems with Ryan's ticket again and I have to repay for Ryan and they put me on a flight back to Salt Lake City, then on to Pairs and then to Geneva.

Anyway, this is the quickie version and the longer one includes me racing through the airport, Ryan crying, me counting my breath so I don't yell at some poor person behind a desk and other such happy moments.

Ryan actually did extremely well considering how little sleep he got. On the way from SLC to Paris he slept 4 hours and then another hour from Paris to Geneva. I really only had a few major melt downs.

DAY THREE:We finally arrive. Tiered and worn out but we are here. Once Ryan got into Becky's house the boys just sat there all bouncing together and running around because they were so excited.

*Stay tune for actual pictures of Switzerland and happier news of our adventures with three little boys.

As a mom who has traveled with a baby, my heart goes out to you. It's hard enough getting a kid and luggage through an airport, let alone all the other craziness you dealt with. WOW! You are Super Mom just for surviving all that. I hope you have fun in Switzerland.